New Trailer: Denzel Washington Is ‘Roman J. Israel, Esq.’

Denzel Washington sports a throwback Afro in the new trailer for “Roman J. Israel, Esq.,” an apt look for a film that appears to pay homage to gritty urban courtroom dramas of an earlier era like “… And Justice for All” with Al Pacino and “The Verdict” with Paul Newman. Those movies earned their stars best actor nominations, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Mr. Washington joined this year’s Oscar race.

With seven acting nominations (including one for 2016’s “Fences”) and two wins (for “Glory” and “Training Day”), Mr. Washington can almost never be counted out as a contender. In this case, he’s working with the writer-director Dan Gilroy, who snagged a best original screenplay nomination for another dark urban drama, “Nightcrawler” (2014).

Mr. Washington plays a legendary civil-rights attorney who finds himself involved with a big-money firm and a slick-suited Colin Farrell. The film drew strong reviews when it had its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival last month, and Sony will release it in theaters on Nov. 3.